The latest spin-off in the world of FBI has finally landed a straight-to-series order. It comes off the back of the deal closing on the lead, and this series lead certainly has us sold on the show.
The new spin-off series, which was originally going to be a planted backdoor pilot in FBI season 7, will be part of the 2025–2026 TV season. It’s not clear if it will be in the fall or not, but with Tuesdays opening up due to the end of FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted, it makes sense to make it a fall show straight after new episodes of FBI.
Tom Ellis will star in FBI: CIA
The name FBI: CIA isn’t quite official just yet, but it’s the one we have for now. The series will star Lucifer lead Tom Ellis, who was, according to Deadline, the original actor involved in negotiations for leading the series. However, as negotiations stalled, eyes turned to others who could take on the role. At some point, Ellis rejoined the negotiations and now he is the face of the series.
With some hope, he’ll stick around for more than just three seasons of the series, which is how long Julian McMahon and Luke Kleintank stuck around for Most Wanted and International respectively. Ellis has a track record of six seasons on Lucifer, and that was with the move from FOX to Netflix and the cancellation and U-turn.
Ellis will play a CIA case officer, who is described as being a “fast-talking, rule-breaking loose cannon,” which certainly suits what we’ve come to know of Ellis’s characters. He will work with a by-the-book FBI agent, who hasn’t been cast yet. It’s the typical odd couple relationship that works well for shows, such as High Potential and Good Cop/Bad Cop. They will be stationed in New York, and they will need to find a way to work together to keep crime down.
When will the FBI CIA series premiere on CBS?
Right now, all we know is that FBI: CIA will be part of the 2025 –2026 TV season. It’s likely to be in the fall schedule, which is when new shows such as Boston Blue and Sheriff Country are also premiering. It makes sense to bring CIA, which seems to be the proposed title now, straight after new episodes of FBI and continue an FBI Night. After all, International and Most Wanted have both been canceled, so won’t be there to fill the night.
It is a shame that we won’t get to meet the CIA agent in a backdoor pilot for CIA, but International performed well as a straight-to-series show. We have high expectations and based in New York, it’s possible to bring some crossovers easily enough.
FBI: CIA will be part of the 2025–2026 TV season on CBS.
Stay up to date with the latest FBI news with Precinct TV.